{"id":49,"date":"2011-07-04T17:09:20","date_gmt":"2011-07-04T17:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=49"},"modified":"2011-07-04T19:31:59","modified_gmt":"2011-07-04T19:31:59","slug":"step-06-the-foundation-of-repentance","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=49","title":{"rendered":"Step 06 The Foundation of Repentance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The Foundation of Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first of six &#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221; from Hebrews 6:1,2<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Introduction to Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Definition of Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>An Example of the Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>More Examples of the Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Why Should We Repent?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Repentance is God&#8217;s Gift to You!<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>A Prayer of Repentance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Turn the Hearts <\/strong>(a song)<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Ten Commands and Martin Luther\u2019s Explanations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Introduction to Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>God<\/p>\n<p>The complete title that the writer of Hebrews 6:1,2 gives this teaching is: <strong><em>\u201crepentance from acts that lead to death.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We need to understand that many of our acts <strong><em>\u201clead to death.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 That is to say, many of the things that we do, think and say are killing us.\u00a0 Such things separate us from God, the Source of life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Listen to what God told the first man, Adam:\u00a0 <strong><em>\u201cYou must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">die<\/span>.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 (Genesis 2:17)<\/p>\n<p>Disobeying God leads to death<strong>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What should we do?\u00a0 We should first stop doing the things that are killing us:\u00a0 we should REPENT!<\/p>\n<p>The word \u2018repent\u2019 is a translation of the Greek word \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u03b5\u03c9.\u00a0 This Greek word literally means \u2018to change the way you think.\u2019\u00a0 So, the first thing that we should do is to change the way we think.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Often we think that something is right, but God thinks that it is wrong.\u00a0 Often we think that something is wrong, but God thinks that it is right.\u00a0 God\u2019s thinking is always correct.\u00a0 The first thing that we should do is to change our thinking so that it agrees with God\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\n<p>A change in thinking always results in a change of behavior.\u00a0 That change of behavior is also part of repentance.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible often uses the picture of TURNING AROUND to describe repentance.\u00a0 Look at the diagram below:<\/p>\n<p>God<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The blue arrow above represents the direction that most people are going with their lives; they are going AWAY FROM God!<\/p>\n<p>Now look at this diagram:<\/p>\n<p>God<\/p>\n<p>This is a picture of repentance. \u00a0The person who was going away from God has TURNED AROUND and is now headed in God\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Definition of Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think we\u2019re ready for a definition of REPENTANCE:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 REPENTANCE is<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 turning <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from<\/span> evil beliefs and behavior and<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0turning <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to<\/span> godly beliefs and behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Repentance is one of the three basic imperatives of the Christian faith.\u00a0 John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles all told the people, \u201cREPENT!\u201d\u00a0 (I.e. Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15, Acts 17:30)<\/p>\n<p>How can we know<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from<\/span> what to turn and<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to<\/span> what to turn?<\/p>\n<p>Answer:\u00a0 God tells us!\u00a0 God tells us in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>For example, God gave us the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The first commandment is:\u00a0 <strong><em>\u201cYou shall have no other gods before Me.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Essentially, this commandment tell us to turn <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from<\/span> other gods and turn <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to<\/span> the only true God.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Or, to put it another way, do <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span> follow false gods, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">but<\/span> follow the true God.<\/p>\n<p>from . . .\u00a0 to\u00a0 \u2013\u00a0 turn <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from<\/span> this false belief or bad behavior <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to<\/span>\u00a0this true belief or\u00a0good<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 behavior<\/p>\n<p>not . . . but\u00a0\u00a0 \u2013\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span> this false belief or bad behavior <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">but<\/span> this\u00a0true belief or good behavior<\/p>\n<p>[At the end of this page you will find the rest of the Ten Commandments with Dr. Martin Luther\u2019s explanations.\u00a0 In most of the explanations you will clearly see the \u201cnot . . . but\u2019s\u201d of repentance.]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Just as an orchard grower expects that his fruit trees will produce good fruit, God our Creator expects us to produce good fruit!\u00a0 Those who repent should bear good fruit.<\/p>\n<p>John the Baptist said<strong><em>, &#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Produce fruit<\/span> in keeping with <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repentance<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>,&#8221;<\/em><\/strong> and he warned, <strong><em>&#8220;Every tree that does not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">produce good fruit<\/span> will be cut down and thrown into the fire.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (Matthew 3:8,10)<\/p>\n<p><strong>An Example of the Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>John the Baptist urged people to repent, <strong><em>and the crowds were questioning him, saying, &#8220;Then what shall we do?&#8221;\u00a0 And he would answer and say to them, &#8220;The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has<\/em><\/strong><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>none; and he who has food is to do likewise.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong> (Luke 3:10,11\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One of the most hideous sins from which we should turn is our greed.\u00a0 Greed keeps us from sharing what we have with those in need.\u00a0 A fruit of repentance is turning <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from<\/span> greed <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to<\/span> sharing with others.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More Examples of the Fruit of Repentance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>12\u00a0 <strong><em>And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, &#8220;Teacher, what shall we do?\u201d\u00a0 13\u00a0 And he said to them, &#8220;Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>14\u00a0 <strong><em>Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, &#8220;And what about us, what shall we do?&#8221; And he said to them, &#8220;Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong> (Luke 3:12-14)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why Should We Repent?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u201cTruly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands that all men everywhere should <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repent<\/span>, BECAUSE <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">He has appointed a day on which He will judge<\/span> the world in righteousness by the Man Whom He has ordained (that is, Jesus Christ).\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (Acts 17:30, 31)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Repentance is God&#8217;s Gift to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When a person repents, he does something.\u00a0 It appears that, perhaps, he has something about which to be proud.\u00a0 He does not.\u00a0\u00a0 Because of our sinful nature, we do not have the ability in ourselves to repent.\u00a0 The turning itself is God\u2019s gift to a person; God grants repentance to people!<\/p>\n<p>Consider the way the Bible talks about repentance:\u00a0 <strong><em>&#8220;So then, God has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">granted<\/span> even the Gentiles <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repentance<\/span> unto life.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong>(Acts 11:18)<\/p>\n<p><strong>What Should You Do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Examine your beliefs and life in view of what God tells you in the Bible.<\/li>\n<li>Ask God to forgive you for all misbelief and misbehavior.<\/li>\n<li>Joyfully and confidently believe that Jesus died in your place for these offences.<\/li>\n<li>Ask God to help you to change these things.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Turn away from<\/span> all wicked thoughts and behavior\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Turn to<\/span> godly thoughts and behavior.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A Prayer of Repentance<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dear Father in heaven, I have been going the wrong way!\u00a0 I have been going away from You and Your ways.\u00a0 I want to turn around.\u00a0 I want to move toward You and Your ways.\u00a0 I see now that Jesus died in my place to save me from all of my misbelief and misbehavior.\u00a0 For His sake forgive me for these things.\u00a0 And help me to turn my beliefs and behavior around so that these things agree with Your words in the Bible.\u00a0 Help me to do what is right toward those whom I have wronged.\u00a0 I thank You for letting me see these things now before the great Judgment!\u00a0 I pray in Jesus\u2019 name.\u00a0 Amen!<\/p>\n<p>NOW is a good time also to tell God or another Christian about some specific beliefs and behaviors that you want to change.<\/p>\n<p>NOW is a good time to ask God to forgive you for these wrong beliefs and behavior, and to hear from another Christian that you are forgiven because Jesus died on the cross for these things, too!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Turn the Hearts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A hymn by the author<\/p>\n<p>1. Turn the hearts of the children to their parents.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn the hearts of the parents to their young.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn the hearts of us all to one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn the hearts of the people to the Lord.<\/p>\n<p>2. All around face the world and go the world\u2019s way;<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And we find that we live too much as they;<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So, because we are helpless, we, O Lord, pray<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That You\u2019ll turn us completely back today.<\/p>\n<p>3. With hard hearts we have asked, \u201cLord, who\u2019s my\u00a0neighbor?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 All the while hearing not his anguished cry!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn our hearts to his pain, turn us to labor<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For his good, as for our good we would try.<\/p>\n<p>4. Lord, we fathers, too busy after money,<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 While our children grow wild without our love,<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See the land groan and lose its milk and honey<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From the curse that You bring from up above.<\/p>\n<p>5. So please send us great prophets like Elijah;<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Send us men who are like the Baptist John,<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Who will bring dads and kids together by the<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mighty work that prepares for Christ, Your Son!<\/p>\n<p>6. Sun of Righteousness, rise with healing to men;<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do this, Lord of angelic myriads \u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children;<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Turn the hearts of the children to their dads.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The Ten Commandments <\/strong><strong>and <\/strong><strong>Martin Luther\u2019s Explanations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All of the commandments teach us how to repent.\u00a0 Look at them from this perspective.\u00a0 Dr. Martin Luther has written a little explanation for each of the Commandments.\u00a0 Look for the \u201c<strong>NOT . . . BUT<\/strong>\u201d in most of his explanations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<strong>The First Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall have no other gods before Me.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:3)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p>We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Second Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not take the name of the LORD\u00a0 your God<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0 in vain.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:7)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by His name, <strong>BUT<\/strong> call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Third Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cRemember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:8)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> despise preaching and His Word, <strong>BUT<\/strong> hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Fourth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cHonor your father and your mother, that your days <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>may be long upon the land which the LORD your God <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>is giving you.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Exodus 20:12)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> despise our parents and masters, nor\u00a0provoke them to anger, <strong>BUT<\/strong> give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them\u00a0in love and esteem.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Fifth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not murder.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:13)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> hurt nor harm our neighbor in his body, <strong>BUT<\/strong> help and befriend him in every bodily need.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Sixth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall NOT commit adultery.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:14)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may lead and chaste and decent life in word and deed, and each love and honor his spouse.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Seventh Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not steal.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:15)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> take our neighbor\u2019s money or goods, nor get\u00a0them by false ware or dealing, <strong>BUT<\/strong> help him to improve and protect his property and business.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Eighth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not\u00a0 bear false witness against your neighbor.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:16)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, <strong>BUT<\/strong> defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Ninth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not covet your neighbor\u2019s house.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:17a)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we my <strong>NOT<\/strong> craftily seek to get our neighbor\u2019s inheritance or house, nor obtain it by a show of right, <strong>BUT<\/strong> help and be of service to him in keeping it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Tenth Commandment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cYou shall not covet your neighbor\u2019s wife, nor his male<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>(Exodus 20:17b)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What does this mean<\/span>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We should fear and love God that we may <strong>NOT<\/strong> estrange, force or entice away from our\u00a0neighbor his wife, servants, or cattle, <strong>BUT<\/strong> urge them to stay and do their duty.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 copyright 2011<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Lyra Publications<\/p>\n<p>Preston, Minnesota<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Foundation of Repentance The first of six &#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221; from Hebrews 6:1,2 Introduction to Repentance Definition of Repentance Fruit of Repentance An Example of the Fruit of Repentance More Examples of the Fruit of Repentance Why Should We Repent? Repentance is God&#8217;s Gift to You! A Prayer of Repentance Turn the Hearts [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=49"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49\/revisions\/54"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=49"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}